2 former Minot hospice nurses plead guilty to stealing drugs

The Minot Daily News reports that 40-year-old April Beckler, now of Fargo, and 47-year-old Kim Kochel, of Minot, pleaded guilty Wednesday to endangering a vulnerable adult and criminal conspiracy. The state is recommending five years in prison for Beckler and three years for Kochel.

Kochel and Beckler allegedly stole the drugs between December 2012 and September 2014 while working for Trinity Hospice.

Kochel’s lawyer, Tom Slorby, entered a conditional plea for his client because he believes a statement by Beckler that implicated Kochel could not have been used at trial because they were scheduled to be tried together. Slorby said Beckler’s late decision to plead guilty changed his defense strategy and he plans to appeal.